149th RHA Regiment – Hoylake Horse 1939-46

149th Regiment 1939-45 – Shabash149

With war clouds gathering in the Spring of 1939 the Commander of the 106th Regiment Royal Horse Artillery (TA) Lancashire Yeomanry was requested to raise an additional Battery at Hoylake. Recruitment commenced on 26th April 1939 and within a few days it was evident that sufficient volunteers had been enlisted to form a new Regiment, thus the 149th Regiment RHA (TA) was born and became known locally as the “Hoylake Horse”. The Regiment was mobilised on the 1st September 1939 and after service and training sailed from Avonmouth in March 1941, arriving in Egypt in June 1941. The Regiment was instructed to reform as the 149th Anti-Tank Regiment RA a role in which many battles were fought with honour. The gallant actions of Hoylake’s own Regiment are recorded in the history of the Regiment entitled “Shabash 149” written and published by BSM Eric Stapleton. The Regiment served in the Middle East, North Africa, Italian and Greek campaigns being disbanded in Salonica on the 31st May 1946.

Known and recorded casualties;
killed 151, wounded 339, prisoners of war 24.

Awards and decorations;
DSO 4, MBE 2, MC 10, DCM 3, MM 7, BEM 1.

On the cessation of hostilities in Europe
the following signal was received from the
4th Indian Division

SHABASH 149 Good Luck and Best Wishes

It is hoped to serialise Shabash 149 by Eric Stapleton
in the near future subject to copyright

3 thoughts on “149th RHA Regiment – Hoylake Horse 1939-46”

Hi; stumbled upon this, as you do. I think my father briefly commanded this Rgt at the end of the war. He’s long dead but I have a couple of photos . He was always proud of having been in 4th Indian Div. I still have his shoulder flashes. His own regiment was Surrey/Sussex Yeomanry(Queen Mary’s)